THE ATELIER OF THE OPERA DE LA MONNAIE, BRUSSELS

Atelier is a French word literally translated as "workshop". In English, it is used to refer to an artist's working studio, typically a fashion studio for Haute couture.

The Koninklijke Muntschouwburg (de Munt) (Dutch), or la Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (la Monnaie) (French) is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium.

Today the National Opera of Belgium, a federal institution, takes the name of the theatre in which it is housed. Therefore, "de Munt/la Monnaie" refers both to the structure as well as the opera company.

As Belgium's leading opera house it is one of the few cultural institutions which receives financial support from the federal government of Belgium. Other opera houses in Belgium, such as the Vlaamse Opera and the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, are funded by regional governments.

In the last three decades de Munt/la Monnaie, has regained its place amongst the foremost opera houses in Europe thanks to the efforts of the successive directors Gérard Mortier and Bernard Foccroulle and music director Antonio Pappano.

The current edifice is the third theatre on the site. The façade dates from 1818 with major alterations made in 1856 and 1986. The foyer and auditorium date from 1856, but almost every other element of the present building was extensively renovated in the 1980s.

More on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Monnaie